Earls of Leicester

I admire bluegrass from a distance, which doesn’t mean I don’t get off on the righteous instrumental savvy of bluegrass supergroup The Earls of Leicester. Formed by dobro player Jerry Douglas in emulation of the great ensemble of bluegrass innovators Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, The Earls released a nice self-titled 2014 debut record that didn’t add much to Flatt and Scruggs’ concept. The sextet sounds a bit more relaxed on last year’s excellent full-length Rattle & Roar, which also sports better material than the group essayed on their debut. They perform a superb rendition of the traditional fiddle tune “Buck Creek Gal” and sing Tony Lee and Onie Wheeler’s “Mother Prays Loud in Her Sleep” with an appealing mixture of humor and piety. Rattle & Roar contains plenty of virtuosic playing — listen to Douglas’ licks on the record’s version of Roy Acuff’s “Steel Guitar Blues” — but it’s the songs you’ll remember. Sometimes traditionalists have more fun.  EDD HURT